JEDDAH, 14 November 2003 — Hempel, NCB, Hidada and Seiko-Sportura continued to forge a battle for leadership in B1, B2 and Mix categories respectively in the ongoing 8th Seiko Team Challenge, Year End Team Tennis Tournament being played at the Al Bilad and Sheraton hotels tennis courts.

Hempel-Jaforms, skippered by Reggie Sanosa registered an impressive win by whipping SRL in the first category B1 match. Hempel’s Jr. Cablao and Jimmy Sabarillo subdued Arnel Alburo and Celso Salenga 8-3 in the first doubles. SRL’s George Almes and Clero Carreon pocketed the second set over Ricky Torres and Vooch Maniri 8-6 to make even at 1 set apiece. However, Jun Amancio and Mel Fiesta wasted no time to stave off the spirited challenge of SRL’s Ricky Zabate and Bong Zafe winning in a close tiebreaker 8-7 (8-6) to take the 22-18 lead.

In the process, Raymund Sy and Adi Banuelos sealed the match by thumping Danny Bay and Pio Perdigueros in the fourth set 8-5. Hempel-Jaforms won three sets out of the four sets being contested, enough for them to earn additional ten bonus points for a 40-23 final tally. In other category B1 match, SG beat Hidada Galvanizers 42-17.

In category B2, NCB beat OFW-SWAJ 38-15 followed with a 35-17 bashing of SPTC/Dallah 35-17 to take an early lead in their group.

In the first doubles, OFW-SWAJ’s Bong Demegillo and Nilo Bacunawa surprised Henry Sarmiento and Rey Lacsina 8-4 but NCB battled back with Louie Bautista and Rod Madla drubbing Ness Arandela ad Eric Enoza 8-1 to split the early sets.

Ramil Adrayan and Peddy Enriquez followed suit with a facile win against Cesar Pabico and Arnold Avila 8-1 to break away with a 18-10 lead for NCB. Leo de Guia and Sev Sumaya then sealed the match with an 8-5 score over Bernie Ramones and Joey Asis enough for them to gain 10 bonus points in winning the last three sets for a 38-15 final output for NCB.

Other category B2 matches showed the contrasting results: SRL humiliated SPTC-Dallah 36-17; Hidada-Industrial City overwhelmed Express Point 39-18; KAIA-Dynarabia won 40-20 over SG. Meanwhile, Cabalen-1 was bitterly disappointed by their 25-24 defeat at the hands of the SKAB team. SPTC-2 crushed Cabalen-2 39-14; Seiko-Superior overpowered Hidada 30-25; Saudi ABV-1 won their initial match against SKTC 35-12.

Seiko-Superior got the upper hand in disposing SPTC-2 36-15. Cabalen-2 was all pumped up when they gave Zahid Tractor a beating 39-17; SPTC-Vice triumphed against TPST 42-10; SKAB dealt SKTC a severe blow by winning convincingly 42-10; SPTC-2 edged past Zahid Tractor 42-13; Al Madj made an easy work and restricted Kapit Bisig to a 38-18 score.

In the Mix category, group leaders Seiko Sportura disposed of BISA team in a one sided fashion 42-16. They also won by a hairline in a keenly contested match against SG 26-25 in their second match while SRL won convincingly against SG 36-22.